Love Never Dies

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Oh and please feel free to weigh in on the notation below or any other aspect of this story. Obviously, this is an AU story. So it will end up diverging radically from canon in the long run though. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Notation: The first part of this story intended to cover the 'most important' points of Part 1 of the series and to showcase how things would have been different, if Hinata had been placed on Team Seven. I'm curious about something though. Do you want at lot of detail in the Genin and Chunin Exam fights or would you prefer more focus to be given on character relationships? Happy reading.

Chapter 10

So far, their first real mission was off to a rough start. Well at least that was the case in Hinata's mind anyway.

"I can't believe the Leaf sent three damn brats to watch me." Tazuna sighs and shakes his head. "We asked for ninjas to protect me. Not for children pretending to be ninjas." Hinata was used to dealing with such people who underestimated her, but his words were still hurtful.

He was a civilian though. Tazuna likely knew next to nothing about the kind of training required to become a ninja. That and the three of them were so young that it was bound to happen. Someone was going to underestimate them.

The bridge builder wasn't done with his admonishments though. "We're damn lucky that Kakashi was to defeat Zabuza and that Hunter-Nin showed up." Yes, that had been surprising.

The hunter-nin had appeared seemingly out of nowhere and just whisked Zabuza's corpse away. That was probably what made him such a good hunter-nin though. He wouldn't be very good at his job, if anyone could sense him coming. (Maybe, she should have kept her Byakugan activated for the entire mission in hindsight).

Kakashi glances at the elderly man and shakes his head. "They're fully trained ninjas and I'll have you know that Sasuke graduated at the top of the Academy, Hinata is the Heiress of the Hyuga Clan, and Naruto has more than enough energy to take on an entire army." The silver haired man chuckles at that last part. "All of which was aptly demonstrated when Zabuza attacked."

It had been a week since Zabuza's attack, but it was still burned freshly into Hinata's mind. They all could have easily died and they were only Genin.

"Yeah!" Naruto shakes his fist at Tazuna. "We're real ninjas. See our headbands?!"

Hinata softly sighs at that. Naruto was right, of course. Though she doubted his words were very convincing to the elderly, grouchy old man they were escorting.

"You're brats!" The civilian rolls his eyes. "Though two of you are brats with pedigrees, you're still just children. Sure, the Uchiha knows how to throw a weapon and the girl has fancy eyes, but you're all still brats."

Kakashi rolls his eyes at that. "They're young. That's true." He was likely used to dealing with difficult clients. "That doesn't change the fact that they're fully fledged ninjas of the Hidden Leaf and we're charged with protecting your life. Something you should remember before disrespecting them."

"You're right." Tazuna sighs and shakes his head. "I can't help it though. The blonde gets under my skin."

Kakashi chuckles and nods at that. For a moment, it seemed like everything was going to be alright. It didn't last long though.

"Everyone get down!" Hinata's Byakugan flares. "He's coming! He's alive!"

Naruto didn't know what was going on. One second everything was fine and the next, Hinata was yelling at them to get down. So he did what anyone would do in that situation. He got down and so did everyone else.

They were lucky that Hinata sensed him coming. "How's he alive?!" Zabuza's attacks would have likely killed the grumpy bridge builder otherwise.

"You see, he wasn't actually dead." Haku was also back. "I merely hit him with my senbon to make it seem as though he was dead." He smiles at all of them. "Zabuza has been recovering ever since, but as you can see…he's fine now."

How could Haku be helping that guy? That creep? Haku had seemed so nice when he was talking to Naruto not that long ago.

"You were working for him the whole time?!" Naruto could feel white hot rage flowing through him. "He's the guy you were talking about you?! This creep is your most precious person?!"

Haku nods at him. "Yes, I was and he is." The ninja smiles fondly at Zabuza. "He gave me a purpose again. If you leave now though, I won't kill you." Those doe colored eyes glance over towards Tazuna. "He's the one we want. Not you."

Haku probably thought he was being nice giving them a chance to run away. "Not a chance!" Like Hell was Naruto going to do that though. "I won't back down! That's not part of my Ninja Way!"

Kakashi was eyeing Zabuza warily. "Protect Tazuna!" The battle was about to begin it seemed. This time, Naruto would do way better.

Hinata nods as she, Naruto, and Sasukes stand by the bridge builder. If the three of them stayed in this formation, Zabuza and Haku wouldn't' be able to get an easy shot, but the battlefield was now covered in mist and making everything hard to see.

"Got it!" Naruto nods determinedly.

That's when Zabuza and Kakashi start clashing. They were moving so fast that Naruto couldn't keep up with them with his eyes, but they had bigger problems.

Haku was flying towards them. "Gentle Fist!" Hinata aims a blow at the 'hunter-nin,' but Naruto wasn't sure if it actually landed. It was enough to make Haku fall back though.

"I know those eyes." Haku was likely smiling behind his mask. "So you're a Hyuga and he's an Uchiha. If that blow had landed you would have locked up at least some of my chakra points." He looks at Naruto. "You're kind and none of you have to die. I'll give you an other chance to flee with your lives."

This guy was starting to get on his nerves. First, works with Zabuza and then he wants them to run away. Not a chance!

"I was about to say the same to you!" Naruto lunges at him.

Sasuke's eyes widen in horror as the blonde throws himself at Haku. "You're such an idiot." Haku uses some kind of Ice Jutsu and begins erecting mirrors around Naruto. Sasuke barely had time to jump inside with the blonde.

"Shut up, Bastard!" Naruto gives him a dirty look. "I'm not going to back down!"

The sounds of battle were still ringing outside. Kakashi and Zabuza. Haku was with them though. So that meant Hinata was safe from Haku for now, but Sasuke knew that Kakashi was really the only thing protecting her from Zabuza at the moment.

"Damn it!" He glares at Naruto. "We've got to finish him off quickly! Hinata's almost alone out there!"

She was the only one protecting the bridge builder at the moment. Which meant Zabuza would target her as soon as he could.

Naruto's eyes widen at that. "You're right." Thank goodness, it looked like some common sense was finally piercing through the blonde's extremely thick skull. He knew what they had to do now.

"That's sweet." Haku's reflection was shown in hundreds of mirrors. "You all truly care for each other. Wouldn't it be better to surrender now and live than to die over a bridge?"

There were way too many Hakus. It was hard to tell which was the real one. So that was the game. The other ninja might as well have made a hundred shadow clones.

"Naruto, be careful." Sasuke's eyes scan the entire prison. "One of those reflections is the real Haku." They couldn't tell which either.

"Very perceptive." Haku hurls senbon at them from all directions. "Though it won't help you. The only way you're going to get out of this is to surrender or die."

They couldn't surrender, but they couldn't die either. Not while Itachi was still out there, Sasuke thinks to himself as he tries to dodge the needles.

"Damn it!" Naruto growls in pain. "There are too many of them."

It was true. At best, they could dodge enough to avoid the needles hitting vital spots. If they were lucky. There had to be another way out of this.

Kakashi clashes with Zabuza again and again. They were too evenly matched.

"Your boys are dead." Zabuza smirks. "Haku's got them now and the girl will be next." He swings his sword at Kakashi.

The fact that the other ninja could wield the large weapon with such precision told the CopyCat Ninja everything that he needed to know about Zabuza. He deserved his title as one of the seven swordsmen.

"I wouldn't underestimate any of them." Kakashi grunts as he trades blows with the other Jonin. "Besides, you're facing me now. Not them."

He wouldn't let this bastard get anywhere near Naruto, Sasuke, or Hinata. Hinata who was standing in front of the bridge builder with her Byakugan activated and likely watching the boys fight while protecting Tazuna.

"It must be torture for her." He mutters under his breath.

He was right about that. Hinata watches in horror as Sasuke and Naruto try to fight Haku in his ice prison of sorts. The bluenette knew it had to be some kind of bloodline.

"They're going to get killed." She whispers.

Hinata hadn't even been sure if she actually spoke those words out loud or not, but she knew it was a very real possibility. It was nothing short of a miracle that those senbon hadn't struck vital spots yet. She had to do something.

"Help your friends." Tazuna looks at her. "I'll be alright. Zabuza is fighting Kakashi and Haku is going after them."

The Hyuga Heiress had never expected the grumpy bridge builder to actually say that, but she nods gratefully at him. She wouldn't leave him alone.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She makes about a dozen clones and takes off running towards Kakashi and Zabuza.

She couldn't beat someone like Zabuza, but she could slow him down. A lot. All she needed was one good hit and maybe, just maybe she could tip the scales of the battle in Kakashi Sensei's favor.

Once Zabuza was dead, Haku would likely stop fighting. The other ninja was too attached to the swordsmen. As much as she wanted to help Sasuke and Naruto, the bluenette wasn't sure that she could get passed those ice mirrors. She could however, throw at least one shot at Zabuza.

"Haku is just playing with them." Zabuza smirks at Kakashi. "The fact that they're even still alive now amuses me. You can't save them."

"I'm quite certain they can save themselves." Kakashi fires off a blue attack that actually sounds like birds chirping. "Chidori!" Well a lot of birds, but still.

It was beautiful and it also makes Zabuza take a few steps back to dodge. "GENTLE FIST!" That was Hinata's opening!

She smashes into him. Her fist striking at his shoulder. She meant to get his heart, but he must have seen her coming at the last second because he semi dodged.

"I guess that was rather rude of me." He grunts and whirls around. "Where are my manners? Ladies should always die first!" She had locked up the chakra points in one of his arms, but it wasn't his sword arm.

"Hinata!" Kakashi flits towards them, but he wasn't fast enough.

Hinata gets grazed by the sword. Luckily, it was only her arm. She could feel blood well up from the injury, but it was more of a surface wound than anything. It could have been a lot worse.

"You're the o-only ones who needs to die today." Hinata darts back more to evade his blade. "You've only got one good a-arm now!"

Sasuke could see it now. He was getting slashed with senbon everywhere, but he was starting to notice a pattern.

"Naruto, listen to me." He glances at him. "We're only going to get one shot at this."

The blonde nods and comes closer. They were both filled with needles. The only reason why were alive is because Haku seemed to be going easy on them for some reason. Maybe, it was a guilty conscience. Who knew?

After whispering the plan, they leap into action. Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned. The needles were going right for Naruto's vital spots, but the blonde wouldn't be able to dodge.

Sasuke jumps in front of Naruto and slams him into the ground. "Ahhh!" He could feel the needles inside him and his vision was going blurry.

Was this what dying was like? No, he couldn't die. He still had to kill Itachi. Hinata was still out there fighting with Zabuza.

"Why?!" Naruto cradles him. "You idiot!" Sasuke was vaguely aware that he was being held, but everything was so blurry. It was hard to concentrate on anything, even the sound of the loudmouth's voice. "Why did you save me?"

Sasuke didn't know really. "I don't know." He had thought that he hated Naruto, but he had saved him. Sasuke might very well have given up his revenge to save the blonde. "I just moved without thinking." Because they were teammates.

Everything was moving so fast. Sasuke could see images in his mind. Memories. Mostly of Hinata, but Naruto was there as well. Memories of his family from before. Of Itachi's murderous eyes.

"You can't die!" Naruto screams at him.

Naruto's voice was still there, but it was growing fainter. His eyelids were so happy. He wasn't in any pain anymore. Was this what his family had felt in their final moments?

Maybe. All Sasuke knew was that he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.

"YOU KILLED HIM!" Naruto had never been so enraged in his entire life.

He could feel the chakra lashing around him. The Nine Tail's chakra, but that didn't bother him. He was going to make them pay for what they did to Sasuke and he was going to help his Sensei and Hinata.

"He died well." Haku sighs. "He was worthy of the title of ninja."

To make matters even more insulting though, Haku sounded like he was actually sorry. Well he was going to be sorry alright.

Feeling the rush of power flowing through him and lashing around him, the blonde smashes through the mirrors. He had to do it. He had to save the bridge builder and his remaining teammates.

Everything that happened next was a blur. Naruto was aware that he was fighting Haku and he was winning, but he on autopilot. It was as if his body was moving without him consciously thinking about it.

"Kill me." Before he knew what was happening, Haku was on the ground and begging to die. "I'm of no use to anyone anymore." He looks over towards Zabuza who was still fighting Kakashi and Hinata.

Slowly, Naruto could feel his fury subsiding. It was just sad. Haku truly felt he had no purpose at all. Other than to serve that thug.

The blonde had been considering his request when Kakashi aims some kind of lightning attack at Zabuza. One that was going straight for his heart.

"Nooo!" Haku somehow summons the strength to move and throws himself in front of Zabuza.

"That's a good boy." Zabuza laughs. "Loyal to the last, eh? I knew that there was something special about you."

Haku had just been struck by Kakashi's Lightning Cutting and was going to die, but Zabuza didn't care. He keeps trying to cut through Haku to get to Kakashi. It made Naruto sick.

"YOU BASTARD! DIDN'T YOU CARE ABOUT HIM AT ALL?!" Naruto charges at Zabuza.

"He was just a tool." Zabuza shakes his head. "As we all are." This guy was insane! Naruto was going to prove him wrong.

"Don't you know how much he cared about you?!" Naruto wasn't going to let him off that easily.

Hinata winces as she looks at Haku's body and over at Sasuke's. He was really dead and Naruto was might end up that way as well if something didn't happen soon.

"We've got company!" Tazuna's voice rings out.

He was right about that. A man comes and treats Haku's corpse like trash. Zabuza didn't seem to care at first, but Naruto's speech must have gotten to him because that's when the "Demon' tries to charge at Gato.

"You see, you cost way too much money." He gestures towards all his thugs. "All of these men cost only a fraction of what you were asking for. It was simply a cost of doing business. Besides, three brats and one Leaf Jonin almost killed you." He grins at the Criminal Ninja coldly. "So you weren't worth your asking price anyway."

There were dozens of them and they were all attacking Zabuza as he charges towards the vile man. Hinata winces as she watches him get attacked from multiple directions and with almost every kind of weapon one could imagine.

Still, even while he was bleeding to death and had crude weapons stuck inside his body, Zabuza didn't relent. "There's a reason why they call me a demon!" He charges and charges, staggering with every step but determined.

"We should help him." Hinata whispers to Kakashi.

Kakashi shakes his head and sighs. "You would dishonor his last wish if you did, let him go out the way he wants." His gaze softens. "We can't save him now. His injuries are too severe anyway."

He was right about that, but that didn't make it any less horrific to watch. Zabuza manages to kill the creep, but he soon collapses. He was dying. There was nothing any of them could do to save him.

"You're right." Hinata could feel water sliding down her cheeks. "But we can still do something."

Zabuza was barely moving. He normally would have killed her for this, Hinata was sure but she manages to drag his body next to Haku. At least they could die together.

"Thank you." He actually smiles at her before turning his attention towards Haku. "Perhaps, we can go to the afterlife together after all." That was all he said before his eyes close for the final time.

"Is he really gone?" Naruto blinks.

He was just as stunned by the entire scene was Hinata was. That much was obvious.

Kakashi nods and sighs. "He's really gone." His attention was now on Sasuke's body. "Come, we need to at least give him a proper burial."

"I can't believe he's really dead." Naruto's face looks ashen and Hinata feels herself break down in sobs.

Her sobs even moved Tazuna. "I can't believe this." He looks at Sasuke's body as Hinata races towards it. "This isn't right. They're just kids." He looks at Kakashi. "How can you support such a system?"

Whatever Kakashi said to Tazuna in response, Hinata didn't hear it. All she could think about was the fact that Sasuke was dead. They had to bury him. She couldn't save him, but the very least she could make his body presentable.

"I'm sorry." She throws herself onto him, hugging his corpse as she begins removing the needles.

There were so many. It would probably take hours, but she'd do it. At the very least, he wouldn't look like a pincushion at his funeral.

She couldn't stop crying. It really would be the Land of Waves by the end of today. Her tears would likely fill an ocean by the time it was all said and done.

"Ah! S-Stop hugging me!" She hears Sasuke pleas and her eyes widen.

"You're alive!" Hinata hugs him tighter.

Sasuke nods as he looks at her and grunt. "Y-Yes, owe!" He was moving, but barely. "H-Hinata, I'm happy to see you to, but s-stop that! You're pushing the needles in f-further!"

Oh. Right. Hinata immediately moves away a few inches and murmurs a hasty apology.

"Bastard!" Naruto rushes over to them. "You're really alive?!"

Amazing, Sasuke had nearly died and Naruto was still insulting him. Honestly, boys! She'd never understand them!

"Obviously." Sasuke coughs up some blood. "I-Idiot."

Kakashi chuckles at that and shakes his head. "Well I suppose we should take that as a sign that Sasuke is fine." He glances at Hinata and Tazuna with amusement. "If he's feeling well enough to bicker with Naruto, he'll pull through."

That did turn out to be true. Not only that, but the people of Land of Waves finally stood up to Gato's man. By the time they left, truly seemed as if the Land of Waves would get their bride and maybe things would get better for them.

Though Hinata knew two things without a doubt. She knew what it was like to lose Sasuke and she never wanted to feel that way again. That and she was in love with him. Only love could explain why it had felt like her heart had stopped, when she thought his had.